Spring vehicle-wheel.



H. W. SCHMIDT. SPRING VEHICLE WHEEL. I APPLICATION FILED r3112, 1910.

973,569, Patented 0ct.25, 1910.

,rn: mum's PETERS 00., WASHINGTON, n.

Hana: w. SCHMIDT, or nnrnorr, MICHIGAN.

SPRING VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Application filed February 12, 1910. Serial No. 543,553.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Vehicle- Wheels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to spring wheels for vehicles, more expressly designed for use on automobiles, and consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth and pointed out particularly in the claim.

The object of the invention is to produce a spring wheel of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction, wherein the arrangement is such as to provide for resiliently mounting the hub within the rim of the wheel in a manner to absorb the shock incident to the passage of the wheel over a rough surface and prevent transmission of the shock to the axle of the vehicle.

The above object is attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a wheel made in accordance with my invention, one of the flexible tubular coverings over the flat springs which connect the inner ends of the spokes to the hub members, being in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section through a portion of the rim and one of the U-shaped springs mounted thereon with which the outer ends of the spokes are connected, and through the spring and connecting parts through the medium of which the inner ends of the spokes are connected with the hub of the wheel. Fig. 3 is a sectional View at right angles to Fig. 2.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates the rim of the wheel which may be of any suitable construction, and

which is provided with a' suitable tire 2.-

The tire il ustrated in the drawings is of the pneumatic type, but a solid tire may be emplo ed,.if desired.

he major portion of the spokes 3 is formed prefera ly of wood. Interposed between the outer end of each of the spokes members being adapted to receive the tenons I 7 on the outer ends of the spokes, thereby eifecting a rigid connection between the spokes and springs 4.

The. hub 8 may be of any suitable construction and is provided with hub members 9 which are fitted between the side plates of the hub and secured by the transverse bolts 10. In each of said hub members is formed a flaring slot 11 (see Fig. 2) in which is secured the inner end of a straight flat spring 12 by means of screw bolts 13. The opposite end of each of the flat springs 12 is cast, or otherwise rigidly secured in a socket member 14 adapted to receive a tenon 15 on the inner end of each ofthe spokes 3. By this arrangement, the outer ends of the wooden spokes are flexibly connected with the rim through the medium of the U-shaped springs 4 and the inner ends of said spokes are flexibly connected with the hub through the medium of the flat springs 12. The springs12 are so disposed as to suspend the hub flexibly within the wheel with respect to the diameter thereof,

but hold said hub rigidly in place with respect to lateral displacement. When the wheel encounters an obstruction the rim rises vertically, the springs 1 upon the lower side contract1ng,.and said springs on the upper side of the wheel expanding, while the flat springs 12 on opposite sides of the vertical center of the wheel, bend laterally to accommodate the vertical displacement of the rim. Because of this yielding connection between the spokes and rim, and the flexible suspension of the hub within the spokes, the shock incident to the encountering of an obstruction by the tire is absorbed very largely in the wheel and is transmitted only in a minor degree to the axle.

For the purpose of covering and protectin the flat springs 12, a piece of flexible tu ing 16 is placed around each of said springs to extend from the hub member 9 onto the socket member 14:, thereby inclosing each of said springs in a flexible case, as 'clearl shown in the drawin s, which does not etract from the resi iency of the springs 12.

Havin thus fully set forth my invention, rigidly connected to both to fiexibl y connect 10 what I c aim as new and desire to secure by 1 the inner ends of said spokes with the hub Letters Patent, is of the wheel.

A wheel comprising a rim, a hub, rel-a- In testimony whereof, I sign this specifi- 5 tively short rigid spokes, curved springs incation in the presence of two Witnesses.

terposed between the outer ends of said HENRY W. SCHMIDT. spokes and the rim of the Wheel, and re1 a-. Witnesses: v tlvely short s rings interposed between the STUART SIMMONS,

inner ends 0 the spokes and the hub and I. G. HOWLETT.

" new i" 

